Essential to flawless makeup is how to choose the right foundation shade. It evens out your entire skin tone hiding any flaws, be it blemishes, scars, acne or just plain dullness. But there are loads of different ones available out there in the market.
How to Choose Foundation Shade for Skin Type:
Normal Skin: - Lucky you! You can use just about any foundation from mineral powder to tinted moisturizer; depending on your required coverage & shade.
Dry Skin:
You need the added moisture in your product. The best ones for dry skin are oil-based foundations (oil based tinted moisturizer for light coverage & oil-based cream or liquid products for heavier coverage), mousse product, tinted moisturizers & mineral product. Look for words like hydrating & moisturizing while looking for a product for dry skin. Avoid matte ones as they will make your look dull.
Oily Skin:
An oily skin secretes enough oil on its own so use only an oil-free liquid foundation or moisturizers. A matte finish one is also great for controlling oily shine and breakthrough shine later. Use a pressed powder after your liquid foundation to set it right.
Aging Skin:
If you notice signs like wrinkles, fine lines & probably a little saggy loose skin, don’t get freaked out and start opting for a heavy coverage foundation. It will just worsen things. Choose a medium coverage product with light reflecting pigments that will make you glow naturally.
Combination Skin:
If you have a normal-dry skin but an oily t-zone (nose and chin area & the skin below forehead), you should avoid normal liquid foundations. The best foundation for this is the powder one followed by 2nd best one for combination skin– liquid to powder foundations.
Acne Prone skin:
Go for ones labeled as ‘non-comedogenic’ or have ‘salicylic acid’ listed in their ingredients as this will keep your pores & frequent breakouts at bay & also make sure it is an oil-free product, though it can be powder or liquid.
How to Choose Foundation Shade According to shade:
Choosing a foundation to your shade can be quite a task.
Make sure you test the product in broad day light and not just in the store lightning as it can be deceiving.
Narrow down to 2-3 foundations matching best to your skin tone.
Never test it on your hand. Always test it on your jawline & then double test it on your forehead to see if the it matches your natural skin tone.
Also try clicking pictures of yourself while testing the product. You don’t want to purchase it later on & realize it causes your face to appear white in photos.
Don’t feel shy to ask for samples for usage of 2-3 times from SA’s as you can test it according to your convenience during day/night & decide for yourself if it’s right or not.
How to Choose Foundation Shade According to Coverage:
This is the lightest coverage for those people who want to just even out their skin tone & have a natural look.
*Medium:
These foundations are thicker in consistency and provide some coverage for people with blemishes, discolorations or other minor imperfections.
*Full:
This helps erase severe imperfections such as acne scars. Also it’s the best form of foundation to use for photo shoots or for occasions like wedding etc.
The Best Foundation Will Disappear on Your Face:
If you take anything at all away from this article, remember this: the right foundation shade will disappear onto your skin. It won't settle into fine lines or wrinkles or highlight large pores. It will lightly cover up any redness or unevenness but it will do so without being obvious.
The right foundation or tinted moisturizer will look as if you aren't wearing any at all.
Testing Out the Shades:
When testing out shades, it's best to show up at the makeup counter with a clean, fresh face. It's OK to wear eye makeup or lipstick, even moisturizer on your face, but you don't want to show up already wearing foundation.
The best shade for you is one that disappears on your face. To test, apply a stroke of up to three colors on a cheek or even better, the jawline (the inner wrist or hand aren't the best spots, contrary to popular belief).
Once you find that perfect fit, check it out in natural light. Ask to borrow a hand mirror and stand near a doorway, or step outside, to see which foundation looks best in the natural light.
If you are purchasing from a drugstore that doesn't have testers, take a couple bottles to a doorway, hold them up to your neck and see which one matches the best or if you have a favorite shade you want to match, match the colors of the bottles, never the swatch on the display.
Not all makeup should be tried before you buy, but foundation is definitely one of them that you should ALWAYS be tried first. You can't always judge a foundation color by its bottle and there's nothing more annoying than driving to the drugstore, buying a bottle, getting it home and then finding out it's a shade off.
Find Your Formula
How would you describe your skin?
A. Oily/combination
B. Dry
C. Normal
D. Sensitive
What's your biggest foundation gripe?
A. It disappears by noon.
B. It looks flaky and dull.
C. It feels heavy.
D. It irritates my skin.
What are you trying to hide?
A. Large pores and/or acne
B. Fine lines and/or brown spots
C. Nothing; I just want to blend minor imperfections.
D. Redness
The look you crave is
A. matte
B. dewy
C. natural
D. even
Your Foundation Results:
Mostly Zap oil:
When a foundation that contains oil comes into contact with oily skin, things get slick, causing your makeup to break down and slide off. Choose an oil-free liquid with lightweight silicone, which helps pigments adhere but won't clog pores, says Troy Surratt, a makeup artist in New York City. We like Neutrogena Shine Control Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 20 ($14, drugstores). On the go, pick a travel-friendly pressed powder with silica, the solid equivalent of silicone. Try Revlon Age Defying with DNA Advantage Powder.
Mostly B's/Go creamy:
Boost hydration with a rich anti-aging formula that contains moisturizing ingredients, like glycerin, says Brett Freedman, a makeup artist in Los Angeles. Shiseido Makeup Radiant Lifting Foundation SPF 17. A BB cream, such as Origins A Perfect World BB SPF 15 is also a good choice: It packs emollients, anti-agers, antioxidants, and sunscreen in one tube.
Mostly C's/Lighten up:
Lucky you! You're blessed with low-maintenance skin and can wear any foundation, says Charlotte Willer, a makeup artist for Maybelline City. For a believable finish, go for sheer liquids with light-reflecting particles, like L'Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup Or opt for a tinted moisturizer that has just enough pigment to even out your skin without being noticeable.
Mostly D's/Correct and cover:
If you're the sensitive type, mineral makeup is for you. Most, like Korres Wild Rose Mineral Foundation. contain skin soothers, such as zinc, and are free of potential irritants, like fragrance and preservatives. Highly pigmented mineral formulas cover broken capillaries, redness, and discoloration. If you find loose powder too messy,
Choosing Your Shade:
Tips for the Department Store:
Being able to try before you buy at a department or specialty store is a huge bonus, but you can still snag the wrong shade unless you do the following:
Ask for help. Get color-matched by a trained makeup artist and score some free samples while you're at it.
Test the right spot. Swipe shades along your jawline to take into account the color of your neck, which is often paler than your face. The right hue should disappear into your skin.
See the (natural) light. Harsh overhead lighting can cast unflattering shadows. Stand near a window or head outside to check your color, says Emily Kate Warren, a makeup artist in Los Angeles. Or which use Philips Lighting technology to mimic day, evening, and office lighting.
Tips for Shopping at the Drugstore:
Thanks to high-tech displays and extensive shade ranges, it's easier than ever to meet your match at the drugstore. A few helpful hints:
Do your homework. L'Oréal Paris, CoverGirl, and Revlon have complexion-matching applications on their websites, Warren says. Log on to answer questions about your skin and receive product and color suggestions to use as starting points.
When in doubt, go darker. If you blend the color well, you'll look tan. But wearing a too-light shade will always make you appear chalky and overly made up, Willer says.
If at first you don't succeed, get a refund. "Many drugstores, like CVS and Rite Aid, allow you to return makeup, even if it has been opened,"
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